GAME REPORT

Bourges Basket gave their chances of topping EuroLeague Women Group A at the end of the Regular Season a real boost, after they left it late to dig out a potentially priceless 63-60 win at BK Imos Brno.

The visitors had to come back from a worrying double-digit deficit late in the third quarter to set themselves up with a chance of victory, and they took their second chance - although it was a close-run thing.

Trailing by a point with just eight seconds left on the game clock, Emmeline Ndongue made a play to put the French side in front.

They then had to rely on some luck as Farhiya Abdi missed the chance to take the win for the crestfallen hosts, before Cathy Joens gleefully put away a pair of free throws after a foul on the decisive rebound.

It could have been so different for a Brno side trying to erase the memory of their shocking home floor performance against Tarsus a week earlier.

And, whilst this was a much improved display against a team now 5-and-1 with Sparta&K at the top of the standings, the outcome was a familiar one.

The home side had led 47-37 after rattling off ten unanswered points with a little over 12 minutes to play, but had no effective response to the improved Bourges defence which followed, and held them to a paltry 12 points during the last quarter.

Ndongue, Joens and Endene Miyem all scored 11 points for Bourges whilst Hana Horakova had 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in defeat.

Meanwhile there was extra cheer fo Bourges who welcomed back Greek forward Styliani Kaltsidou after a lengthy lay-off due to injury.

COACH QUOTES

IMOS Brno head coach Jan Bobrovsky:"The whole game we were the better team. Unfortunately we failed in the end. I know that basketball is played for 40 minutes. Our loss this time is not deserved. The match was about defenses. Bourges is excellent in defense. In the end they also proved to be too good shooters."

IMOS Brno player Nocole Ohlde:"It was very tough game. Both teams had good moments and bad moments. In the first half we played well. We had better rebounds and better shooting. We lost the match in the last quarter. I hope to finally fight our way to victory next week in a home match against Györ."

Bourges Basket head coach Valérie Garnier:"I am very happy that we have a very tough game to handle. We didn't start the game well and even if the defence was not so bad, we made some big mistakes. Especially in the first half we embarked our rivals easily into shooting positions. It was a difficult game but the most important thing was to win this game in last minute."

Bourges Basket player Emmeline Ndongue: "We were behind our rival. We did a lot of mistakes. Missed our confidence. With hard work we gradually returned into the game. In the last quarter we have played a lot better. Our shooting was good. This tight win for us is very valuable."

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COACH QUOTES

IMOS Brno head coach Jan Bobrovsky:"The whole game we were the better team. Unfortunately we failed in the end. I know that basketball is played for 40 minutes. Our loss this time is not deserved. The match was about defenses. Bourges is excellent in defense. In the end they also proved to be too good shooters."

IMOS Brno player Nocole Ohlde:"It was very tough game. Both teams had good moments and bad moments. In the first half we played well. We had better rebounds and better shooting. We lost the match in the last quarter. I hope to finally fight our way to victory next week in a home match against Györ."

Bourges Basket head coach Valérie Garnier:"I am very happy that we have a very tough game to handle. We didn't start the game well and even if the defence was not so bad, we made some big mistakes. Especially in the first half we embarked our rivals easily into shooting positions. It was a difficult game but the most important thing was to win this game in last minute."

Bourges Basket player Emmeline Ndongue: "We were behind our rival. We did a lot of mistakes. Missed our confidence. With hard work we gradually returned into the game. In the last quarter we have played a lot better. Our shooting was good. This tight win for us is very valuable."